Loose-leaf binder



y 1941; G. w. NEWMAN 2,243,535 LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 15, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1941- ,6. w. NEWMAN 2,243,535

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 16', 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May27, 1941 ETED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOSE-LEAF BINDER ApplicationSeptember 15, 1938, Serial No. 229,990

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a loose-leaf binder and particularly to abinding back having means for securing the sheet retaining mechanism ina ring binder.

It is an object of this invention to provide a back plate with aplurality of clamping or gripping elements adapted to snap over theedges of the spring back to facilitate the securement of the sheetretaining mechanism to the binder back. Other objects of the inventionwill become apparent upon reading the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is afragmentary perspective view of a loose-leaf binder embodying theinvention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the binder before finalassembly;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of Figure1;

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the binding back;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing another manner ofsecuring the gripping elements; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing integral grippingelements.

In the drawings the reference numeral 2 indicates a case membercomprising a back 3 to which a pair of covers 4 is hinged. A bindingback 5 is secured to the back 3 of the case memher in any suitablemanner.

The binding back is provided with a plurality of clamping or grippingelements 6 which extend transversely of the bin-ding back and arerigidly secured thereto by welding, riveting or in any other suitablemanner. The gripping elements 6 have their ends bent upwardly andinwardly, as indicated at 1, Figure 4, and are suificiently resilient tosnap over the edges of a sheet retaining unit to secure said unit tosaid case member permanently. The case member is preferably providedwith a lining member 8 which covers the binding back and the insidesurface of the covers 4. The ends 1 of the clamping members 6 projectthrough said lining member. The case member 2 may also be provided withan outer covering 9 to enhance the appearance of the binder.

The sheet retaining mechanism comprises a pair of toggle plates l0arranged in side by side relationship in a spring back ll. Each togglemember is provided with a plurality of curved sheet retaining prongs l2which meet at their free ends to form ring members. A cover plate [3engages the edges of the spring back and covers the toggle plates. Thecover plate [3 is notched, as indicated at I4, to provide clearance forthe sheet retaining prongs I2.

The sheet retaining mechanism may be assembled and stocked as a unit.The gripping elements are spaced to correspond with the spacing of thering members. Then, when the binding back is secured to a cover, theassembled sheet retaining unit may be snapped into place, and thegripping elements 6 will engage the edges of the spring back ll throughthe notches [4 of the cover plate to retain the sheet retainingmechanism in the binder.

In Figure 5 a bridge I5 is struck from the material of the binding back[6 and the clamping element I1 is threaded therethrough. When theclamping element I1 is properly positioned, the bridge I5 is hammereddown to secure the clamping element in place. I

In Figure 6 the clamping elements l8 are formed by slitting the metal ofthe binding back l9 and bending the strips into proper shape.

The resilience of the clamping elements 5, l7 and I8 permits rapidassembly of sheet retaining units with completed case members to formloose-leaf binders. The clamping elements are strong enough to retainthe sheet retaining unit, after it has been snapped into place, so thatthe sheet retaining unit cannot be removed without destruction ordeformation of the clamping elements.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention indetail, it will be understood that the description thereof isillustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modifiedor changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact constructiondescribed, except as limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a loose-leaf binder, a case member, a curved binding back securedto said case member, a spring back curved to conform to said bindingback, and a plurality of gripping elements on said binding back engagingthe outer edges of said spring back to secure said spring back to saidcase member.

2. In a. loose-leaf binder, a spring back, a cover plate engaging theedges of said spring back, said cover plate being notched at a pluralityof points, and a binding back provided with gripping elements engagingthe edges of said spring back through said notches.

3. In a loose-leaf binder, a sheet retaining unit comprising a curvedspring back and a pair of prong carrying plates arranged in side by siderelationship in said spring back, a binding back curved to conform tosaid spring back, and means on said binding back engaging the outeredges of said spring back to secure said sheet retaining unit to saidbinding back.

4. In a loose-leaf binder, a sheet retaining unit comprising a curvedspring back and a pair of prong carrying plates arranged in side by siderelationship in said spring back, and a binding back curved to conformto said spring back, said binding back being provided with a pluralityof resilient clamping members into which said sheet retaining unit issnapped.

GEORGE W. NEWMAN.

